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'The World Ends with You' shines on Nintendo Switch
The World Ends with You is one of my favorite Japanese role-playing games. It was released for the Nintendo DS in 2007, when I was a moody teenager trying to make it through college. I loved the graffiti-inspired art style, eclectic soundtrack and unique touch-and-button-based combat. Most of all, though, I was enamored by the game's depiction of Tokyo. While many JRPGs take place in a fantastical land, The World Ends with You is set in modern Shibuya. Sprinting across the 'scramble' crossing and diving into ramen bars was a welcome escape from my daily bus rides.
Nintendo’s gacha RPG ‘Dragalia Lost’ arrives on mobile
Nintendo's new mobile game Dragalia Lost has landed on iOS and Android in the US, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau. The game boasts all the hallmarks of a Japanese RPG made by gacha specialists Cygames: turn-based action (check), anime-style characters (check), microtransactions galore (check), and dragons (check). Of course, you can opt not to spend any cash on in-game characters and dragons -- which you can morph into during battle -- and just grind it out instead.
'The Last Remnant' finally comes to PlayStation a decade late
If you've been waiting patiently for a decade to play The Last Remnant on a PlayStation, we finally have good news for you. A remastered version of the Japanese RPG is coming to the PlayStation 4 on December 6th in celebration of the game's 10th anniversary. It will cost $20 in the PlayStation Store.
You need to finish ‘Dragon Quest XI’
Most role playing games live and die by the characters and the stories they weave. The decades-old Dragon Quest series has reached its 11th iteration, and Dragon Quest XI attempts to both both celebrate the series so far, and court a new audience.
Switch RPG ‘Octopath Traveler’ gives you too many roles to play
Nintendo's Switch was in desperate need of a roleplaying game, and Square Enix's Octopath Traveler, with its retro pixel-art feel, heeded the call. The unashamedly old-school game draws inspirations from myriad RPGs of the past but centers its story on eight (!) protagonists -- if that's even possible. For anyone that has experienced JRPGs from the glory days of the SNES and the PlayStation, the battle system, level progression and job classes are easy to understand. The story, however, is a messy one. Eight heroes is several heroes too many.
Yoko Taro's 'Nier: Automata' comes to Xbox One on June 26
Nier: Automata was one of the most surprising games of 2017. The Japanese RPG had a mind-bending story, conceived by Nier and Drakengard director Yoko Taro, and a snappy combat system refined by Bayonetta developer PlatinumGames. It was a huge success for Square Enix, shifting more than 3 million copies and winning countless awards. Now, the game is coming to Xbox One. A special Become As Gods edition will hit the Xbox Store on June 26th, bundling the base game, the 3C3C1D119440927 expansion, and a slew of in-game skins and accessories, including a Grimoire Weiss-themed robot companion. Hopefully the extra sales will solidify a sequel, or an entirely new project by Taro and his team.
What we're playing: A new Atari Lynx game in 2018
This week on IRL, we're taking a break from the norm. It's a poorly kept secret that our managing editor, James Trew, has an Atari Lynx fetish. At last count, he owned seven of the things, not to mention every game ever made for them. But while Atari officially abandoned the Lynx way back in the '90s, that hasn't stopped creative types from producing new games for the system. Wyvern Tales is one such game, a labor of love by a solo developer that took eight years to build from scratch. It's the Lynx's first JRPG, and according to James, it's pretty impressive. Let's get weird.
Nintendo partners up for a money-printing mobile RPG
With all eyes on the Switch and the console's new Labo cardboard peripherals, it's easy to forget Nintendo is now very much a mobile game developer, too. In Nintendo's latest financials, however, its mobile games received only a passing mention, and Mario Kart Tour is still a ways off. But it turns out Nintendo has other mobile titles in the pipeline. It's been working with developer Cygames on Dragalia Lost, a Japanese-style action RPG. You may know Cygames as the company behind the digital card game Shadowverse, but otherwise it typically makes titles aimed squarely at the Japanese market, like the hugely popular Granblue Fantasy.
Square Enix pledges to fix the PC version of 'Chrono Trigger'
Square Enix is going to make it right for Chrono Trigger fans. In late February, the publisher dropped the classic JRPG onto Steam, but it was the oft-derided mobile port from six years ago -- not the original SNES game from 1995. To right that wrong, Square Enix will patch the game with an option to switch between the current visuals and "the original graphical style" of the game.
‘Secret of Mana’ returning as a 3D remaster on PlayStation and PC
Next month, a horde of nostalgic Nintendo heads will get the chance to relive the Secret of Mana on the SNES Classic Edition. But, if you're a gamer with modern sensibilities, then its 16-bit world may not suffice. Fortunately for you, developer Square Enix is giving the iconic title the 3D treatment. An upgraded version of the JRPG is heading to the PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, and Steam next year.
Atlus is bringing three great JRPGs to North America for the 3DS
The Switch may have already arrived, but you may want to wait a bit before putting your 3DS in storage. Atlus, which you might know as the studio behind Persona, has just announced that it's releasing three Japanese RPGs for the handheld in the US and Canada. One of them is the latest entry in the Etrian Odyssey franchise, while the other two are remasters of Radiant Historia and Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey, two critically acclaimed games originally released for the Nintendo DS. Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth is a dungeon-crawling, map-drawing game chronicling the journey of an adventurer on a quest to reach the top of a towering Yggdrasil tree. It'll be available sometime this fall.
'Persona 5' took me back to Tokyo
Two years ago I took my first trip to Tokyo. The city exceeded my wildest expectations, an addictive blend of ramen, neon nightlife and tranquil parks. I spent a fortnight exploring the place, absorbing every street, shrine and video game store that wandered into my peripheral vision. It was a glorious adventure, and I would give anything to go back there.
'Final Fantasy XV' delayed to November 29th
Noctis and friends have put their bromance-filled road trip on hold. Square Enix has confirmed today that Final Fantasy XV, the long-awaited JRPG once known as Final Fantasy Versus XIII, will now launch on November 29th, rather than September 30th. The two-month delay will make room for an update that was going to be offered as a "day-one patch." Director Hajime Tabata believes the downloadable would have been unfair to players with poor internet access, which is why he's decided to wait and include it with the main disc. The extra time, Square Enix promises, will also be used to "conduct quality testing" and add "further polish."
'Final Fantasy X' re-released again, this time on Steam
Final Fantasy XV finally launches this September, but publisher Square Enix wants you to take a look back in the vaults ahead of that. Final Fantasy X and its direct sequel X-2 got the HD remaster treatment on PlayStation 4 last year and now the double pack is headed to PCs by way of Steam. That means a remastered soundtrack, better-looking graphics and a few bits and bobs from the International Editions like a special boss fight mode for the first. No word on improved voice acting, though. However, there's a quasi-Pokémon feature that allows for capturing and training enemy monsters to use as their own during battles -- something first seen in the second launch of FFX-2 in Japan. It's confusing, okay?
'Persona 5' gets a new trailer and release date in Japan
Persona, one of the most stylish and contemporary JRPG franchises, is almost ready to make its debut on the PlayStation 4. Developer Atlus held an event today in Japan for the next instalment, Persona 5, dropping a new trailer and plenty of tantalizing gameplay details. More important, however, is the game's new release date: September 15th, 2016. For now that's strictly a Japan date -- there's no word on when a localized version will launch on the PS3 and PS4 in the West. Still, it's a promising development given the game has been delayed multiple times.
'Indivisible' is a hand-drawn JRPG that needs your help
The folks behind Skullgirls are at it again, and this time they're taking to crowdfunding platform IndieGoGo for a hand in creating a gorgeous hand-drawn role-playing game, Indivisible. As BoingBoing points out, perhaps one of the more interesting aspects of the whole deal here is how it's being funded. The game's total budget is $3.5 million, and if the IndieGoGo campaign reaches its $1.5 million goal, publisher 505 Games (Adr1ft, Abzu) will kick in the balance. If you're hesitant about throwing money down, there's a demo prototype available that you can download for Windows.
Nintendo includes same-sex marriages in 'Fire Emblem Fates'
Nintendo has a rocky past when it comes to same-sex relationships in its games, but the upcoming Fire Emblem Fates for its 3DS handheld should change that. There are a few different options to choose from, as Polygon reports. If you want to play as a male character who can marry a male party member, you should grab the Conquest edition of Fates. And if you want to be a female warrior who weds another lady, then the Birthright edition is the one for you. There's also a third downloadable storyline that'll let you do both. The marriages don't come easy from the sounds of it, either: you need to bond with your partner in battle before you can tie the knot.
Toyota wishes the Prius was a 'Final Fantasy' chocobo
In Japan, Toyota has a history of tapping classic Japanese role-playing games to sell its latest vehicles. The company has previously used the music from Dragon Quest and Monster Hunter in its TV ads, and now it's leveraging Final Fantasy to promote the petite Aqua Urban-X (known as the Prius C in the US). As Kotaku reports, the unique commercial shows three yellow cars tearing around the countryside, while the Chocobo Theme plays jubilantly in the background. For fans of the franchise, it's a clever nod to the beloved flightless bird, which often feature in the games as mythical modes of transport. But how many Final Fantasy fans are in the market to buy a new car? Probably not many -- Toyota is presumably banking on the idea that such an iconic Japanese franchise will be recognisable to even the most casual of video game enthusiasts. It's certainly more effective than this terrifying Mercedes-Benz ad featuring Nintendo's popular plumber.
Mistwalker head shares trailer for canceled JRPG, Cry On
Cry On, a JRPG collaboration from Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey developer Mistwalker and the now-dissolved Cavia, was once planned for release on the Xbox 360. While the project was canceled on Christmas Day in 2008 due to the state of the market, studio lead Hironobu Sakaguchi took to YouTube yesterday to share the above concept trailer. As archived by Unseen64, Cry On's story was intended to star a young girl named Sally in a Middle Age-esque time period. In this world, miniature creatures called Bogles were placed on rooftops as protective charms. Bogles once lived beside humans as giants, and with knowledge of their past in mind, humans attempted to restore their towering figures for the sake of war. Players would have progressed through the game with the aid of a special, human-language-speaking Bogle, allowing them to experience puzzle-focused, RPG scenarios while playing as Sally and slightly action-like bouts while guiding Sally's Bogle. Neither the studio nor potential fans may ever get the chance to see a full realization of Cry On, but with more-recent outings like The Last Story and the mobile, tile-based Terra Battle, at least the studio is still crafting RPGs. [Image: Mistwalker]
Y2K: Paranormal elevator death, new RPG systems, no hipsters
Y2K stars Alex, a young man with thick-rimmed glasses, a full beard and a flannel shirt over a nerdy retro tee and jeans. He fights enemies with vinyl records. Need more hipster cred? Developer AckkStudios describes the plot of Y2K as follows: "When an erratically behaving elevator claims the life of a young woman, unemployed recent college graduate Alex Eggleston takes to a primitive 1990s message board to find answers about the death of this stranger. His quest for answers leads to more questions as his research points him to a mysterious van the internet has dubbed the 'Death Cab.'" Yes, Death Cab. Y2K may seem like a hipster paradise, but AckkStudios co-founder Brian Allanson tells Joystiq that Alex isn't a hipster – he's just a guy who knows what he likes. The same goes for the entire, real-life development team. "For the characters in the game: No, they don't view themselves as hipsters," Allanson says. "Alex is a little bit oblivious to the fact that he's so hip. He's just living his life with his interests. Personally, speaking for the team, we don't call ourselves hipsters. If someone called us that we'd accept that as a description because we are some young people making an indie game – and that's pretty hip, I guess. Although we're really nothing like the characters in Y2K."
